Keep My Kids Together
Donation protected
These are my kids. They are Nolan (14), Liam (9), Veronica (3) and Ava (18 months). The boys are from my first marriage, and they live with their mother. My wife (Lisa) and I have made quite a few personal sacrifices to stay in the Erie, PA area, but we do it cheerfully because we're both deeply committed to keeping all the kids together. Even though the boys don't live with us, they visit every other weekend, every birthday, and every holiday, and I get to attend their games and concerts. It's not always easy, but it is always worth it.
Lisa was downsized from her job back in October. She's had a few interviews since, but Erie is a small market and no jobs have materialized. Her unemployment ran out in April. Our financial situation has become desperate. We don't own a home or have any assets to sell. After taxes, health insurance for the whole family, and child support, only about a third of my earnings actually reach us and it's nowhere near enough to sustain what we need. I have a very supportive and caring family who has offered to take us in if we can't afford to live on our own, but they live more than 10 hours from here. If we have to leave, I won't be there for my sons the way I am now, and my kids lose each other.
It is so hard for me to ask for help. Every part of me wants to keep my financial problems to myself, but my kids' needs mean more to me than my pride. I want to be there for my boys, not just a couple times a year, but as much as I can. Despite the wide age gap between my kids, they love each other dearly. I can't fully express to you the fear I live with every day that I will let them or my wife down. So I'm asking you for help.
We have savings that just barely will cover the rent for the next two months, but we have until June 1st to renew our lease for another year. The $13,000 I've asked for is to pay for a year's rent. My salary can cover our groceries, car payment, car insurance, utilities, health insurance, child support and debt while Lisa keeps searching. A year's rent buys us time to find a solution while keeping everyone together.
Any help you could provide would mean more to me than I can express. I've been so very lucky in my life to have been gifted with these four kids. They are everything to me, and with all my heart I want to be there for them and let them be there for each other. Thank you.
Lisa was downsized from her job back in October. She's had a few interviews since, but Erie is a small market and no jobs have materialized. Her unemployment ran out in April. Our financial situation has become desperate. We don't own a home or have any assets to sell. After taxes, health insurance for the whole family, and child support, only about a third of my earnings actually reach us and it's nowhere near enough to sustain what we need. I have a very supportive and caring family who has offered to take us in if we can't afford to live on our own, but they live more than 10 hours from here. If we have to leave, I won't be there for my sons the way I am now, and my kids lose each other.
It is so hard for me to ask for help. Every part of me wants to keep my financial problems to myself, but my kids' needs mean more to me than my pride. I want to be there for my boys, not just a couple times a year, but as much as I can. Despite the wide age gap between my kids, they love each other dearly. I can't fully express to you the fear I live with every day that I will let them or my wife down. So I'm asking you for help.
We have savings that just barely will cover the rent for the next two months, but we have until June 1st to renew our lease for another year. The $13,000 I've asked for is to pay for a year's rent. My salary can cover our groceries, car payment, car insurance, utilities, health insurance, child support and debt while Lisa keeps searching. A year's rent buys us time to find a solution while keeping everyone together.
Any help you could provide would mean more to me than I can express. I've been so very lucky in my life to have been gifted with these four kids. They are everything to me, and with all my heart I want to be there for them and let them be there for each other. Thank you.Organizer
Brock Ketterman
Organizer
Waterford, PA